Broadband News

ISP Migrations

Many users have had problems changing ISPs when the service level from their current provider drops, or for some other reason they need to change to a different provider. Some have found that if
their current ISP is not particularly helpful, the process can take a long time and involve extended periods of chasing up and problems using the Internet.

At the request of some users, we carried out a poll which asked users "Do you believe the current 'migration' system on BT Wholesale's service from one ADSL ISP to another is too complicated
and prone to abuse by rogue ISPs?"

The votes were cast as follows:

Votes

Statement

1,452 (80%)

"Yes - It's very difficult to transfer to another ISP without downtime and the old ISP can make things difficult by not co-operating"

272 (15%)

"No - There's no problems with the current system."

87 (5%)

"Undecided"

The results of the poll were not wholly unexpected as these problems have become more widespread with more users moving with shorter contracts, more competition and increasingly differentiated
levels of service from ISPs. Encouraging fairer competition amongst the ISPs will no doubt be one of the next challenges for BT. A total of 1,811 votes were cast. [seb]